"Hello, Father? Anything up from Secret Headquarters?"
"No, boy," and Oliver is surprised at the effort with which Mr. Piper
smiles. "Winthrop called up a few minutes ago about those Hungarian bonds
but it wasn't anything important--" and again Oliver is very much surprised
indeed, though he does not show it.
"Is your mother here, Peter?"
"Upstairs dressing, I think, Father."
Mr. Piper hesitates.
"Well, you might tell her--it's nothing of consequence but I must go in to
town for a few hours--I shall have them give me a sandwich or so now and
catch the 7.03, I think."
"But look, Father, Oliver has to go in too, for dinner--he's taking the
two-seater now. Why don't you let him take you too--that would save time--"
"Perfectly delighted to, Mr. Piper, of course, and--"
Mr. Piper looks full at Oliver--a little strangely, Oliver thinks.
"That would be--" Mr. Piper begins, and then seems to change his mind for
no apparent reason. "No, I think the train would be better, I do not
wish to get in too early, though I thank you, Oliver," he says with an
old-fashioned bob of his head.
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